Absolution
by Femtaire
Summary: When her mother is murdered and her father disappears, a young girl is sent away from her homeland into another world, and soon it passes into memory for her. But when she reappears in the land she dismissed as fairy tales, and a power she can't even begin to understand is thrust into her hands, she has no choice but to try and rediscover who she is, and what her family stands for.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello everyone! I'm the user formerly known as Dithinus, and this is my debut back into the world of fanfiction. My account has completely been cleared out because of a lot of embarrassing stuff, so I don't know who's who and stuff like that. So if we used to be friends, then go ahead and message me!**

**As far as this fic goes, this is a reimagining of my old fanfiction. I hope this one is better. And to new readers, I hope you enjoy this with fresh eyes!**

* * *

><p>Chapter One<p>

"Mithrandir, I beg you!" The woman cried, falling into the tongue of her race in her grief and pain. She gripped the grey robes tightly in her hands as she begged, agony wracking her body. "Take my children through. It is the only way to protect them!"

Gandalf was solemn as he held the dying woman in his arms, her infant daughter cradled to his chest. He had witnessed her birth, and now he would witness her end; the wounds were too grievous for any to heal. "They may be lost." He warned in a pain-laced voice, for she was dear to him. "Even my magic may fail to return them to their station."

"I care not!" Tears streamed down the woman's face as blood rose to her lips. Her time was coming near; she could see the gates to the halls of Mandos ahead of her, and though her soul was glad, she was afraid. "Protect them." She sobbed quietly. "Please, Mithrandir, please…" She looked to where her eldest child was sitting across the room in numb silence, covered in the blood of her mother. She reached her hand out to the little girl, but she seemed to be further away every second. She just wanted to hold her daughter one last time… "Caladiel, gi melin. Gi melin, child."

"Nana, where are you going?" The little girl asked fearfully in her native language. The infant wailed a piercing cry as the woman shuddered in pain. "Gandalf, she'll be okay, won't she? Gandalf?"

"Hush, child." He tried to be soothing, but he knew that nothing could comfort her. She was watching her mother die.

It was time. She was to depart. The woman smiled at her children and at the wizard she entrusted them to before she released her hold on the mortal world. With a sigh, her soul left her body and was welcomed into the kingdom of Mandos, and into the arms of those who came before her.

Gandalf slowly closed her eyes and hushed the children before standing up and looking around him. The small house was in shambles, with the woman's blood everywhere and every stone unturned, but he knew that what the intruders had searched for had not been found. He took the necklace from the mother and put it around the infant's neck before handing her to her sister. "Hold her tight, now." He instructed.

"What's going on?" Caladiel asked with wide eyes. The girl's red hair was matted and filthy, and her little hands shook with fear. "Is Nana okay?"

He gently kissed her forehead. "Protect your sister." He instructed. "And wherever you may go, remember this! Remember where you come from." He closed his eyes and felt the power of the Valar surge within him, into the necklace and into the child who had seen mere days of her home in Arda. "Go in peace." He murmured as the children quieted, falling into a trance. "Rest now in that world, until you are called upon in your time of need. Until we meet again!"

The light grew to heights unreachable by mortal races, and when it faded, the children were gone.

* * *

><p>"Sammy, where did momma go?"<p>

Samantha stopped in her tracks when her niece asked her that question. Her heart felt like it was ripped into pieces as she looked down at the little six-year-old girl that she loved so much. She herself never had children - and probably never would - but she loved her sister's daughter like she was hers.

"Jessie…" Samantha wet her lips as she and the little girl, Jessica, walked through the park. The cold November air nipped at her face and hands. How could she tell a little girl that she would never see her mother again? How could she explain the horrible thing that had happened? "Uh… Momma had to go away."

"Why?" Jessica looked up at her aunt with wide blue eyes that looked just like her mother's. Oh god.

"Well, Jess, it was time for her to go." Samantha tried to choose her words carefully. "Do you remember when Grandma Abbie had to go?"

"Oh." The girl was quiet in thought. "Did she go to heaven with God and the angels?"

Samantha pursed her lips. Edith was her little sister; they were raised together, they were completely inseparable even in adulthood, and the one day they didn't meet for coffee, she… well. She was so mutilated they had to use teeth to identify her. Samantha couldn't think of anything that would be so brutal on a person, and that just made the entire thing harder. "Yeah, hon." She reached out to pull the girl closer. "She did."

They walked until Samantha heard sniffling and realized that Jessica was crying. "Oh, honey." She knelt in front of the girl and wrapped her arms around her, letting her cry into her shoulder. It was all her fault, she thought. It was her fault that her sister had left behind her husband and daughter. It was her fault that Jessica wouldn't have her mother in her life. It was her fault that their mother had been killed when they were just kids. It was her fault.

Something tugged on the back of her mind - a memory from when she and Edith were kids. They were in a cottage…? She shook her head to clear her thoughts. When she was younger, she always called herself Caladiel and spoke a gibberish language that didn't make sense. She knew that it was all just something her mind had made up, but sometimes, it seemed too real. Like now, when she wanted nothing more than to sing and cry in that language for her sister.

"I want my momma." Jessica hiccuped, and Samantha's eyes welled up with tears. It's not fair.

"I do too, baby." She whispered. "I do too."

* * *

><p>Samantha smiled fondly as she watched Jessica run towards the house from the bus stop outside their house and continued washing the dishes. The door slammed open and shut as the ten-year-old swept inside. "I'm home!" She called.<p>

"I never would have guessed." She smiled as Jessica came running into the kitchen, hugging her around her waist. "How was your day, little peanut?"

"It was good. We're working on vocabulary, which is gross." She made a face, and Samantha laughed, drying her hands on a towel and turning to face her.

"And what about math? How was math today?"

Jessica flushed and looked at her hands. "I got in trouble." She muttered.

"What for?" Samantha crossed her arms and raised her eyebrows, not giving away that she'd already gotten a phone call from the teacher and knew everything.

She scuffed her feet on the tile floor. "I forgot my homework."

She sighed and uncrossed her arms. "Well, I already talked to your teacher, and she said to bring it in tomorrow." Jessica's face brightened with hope. "And it had better be done by then, or else someone isn't getting dessert for a week."

The little girl gasped and scampered away to the table, pulling up her backpack and taking out her homework. Samantha smiled as she immediately started on it, her forehead creasing in concentration. It had been four years since her mother had died, and Samantha had stepped in as the mother figure in her life. She loved her niece more than life itself, and she was proud of her for how she'd grown into a well-developed young girl. It was amazing that she got to be a part of her life.

"Jessie, what do you want for dinner?" She asked as she tied off the garbage bag and hoisted it over her shoulder.

"Spaghetti." Jessica answered absently, scribbling something out. "Can we have garlic bread too?"

"If you're good." She went over and kissed her head. "I love you, baby girl. Keep up the good work. I'm gonna head out back real quick, call me if you have any trouble." She headed out the back door and around to the garbage bins. They lived in a modest house in the small town of Bruja, New Mexico, with Jessica's father Justin. Justin was a movie director for independent films, and Samantha was a waitress at one of the little cafes nearby. They both worked hard for Jessica's sake, and they made a nice little family in the close-knit town. Samantha thought that maybe people were beginning to move on from Edith's murder, and maybe things would continue looking up. In fact, she knew they would.

She threw the trash in the bin and dusted off her hands when she saw something move on the side of the house. She stopped and frowned, staring at the air where it moved.

There it was again. _What was that?_

She slowly went towards it. "Hello?" She called. She saw Jessica peek out the back door and motioned for her to stay back. They were alone for blocks around, so no one should be by the house. Something moved again, and she saw a flash of green. Samantha wet her lips, then jumped around the corner of the house. She heard a hideous screech and felt clawlike hands grab at her before there was nothing.

* * *

><p>Everything sounded like it was underwater, floating in and out of clarity as Samantha slowly came her senses. It was like she was slowly floating towards the surface, shapes slowly beginning to take form and voices clearing up.<p>

"Caladiel?" A man's voice said. "Caladiel, awaken, child!"

"She has just arrived, Elrond, leave her be and allow her to recover." Another, much older man said reproachfully.

"Time is not in our favor, Mithrandir. She is wounded; we must return her to Imladris. Caladiel, hold on…"

She knew the voices, but she was slipping away. Then she felt a warm light surround her and lift her up, and she was coming closer and closer to the light...

Samantha's eyes snapped open as she broke through the surface, and she sucked in a breath before turning on her side and dry-heaving. She tumbled from where she'd been laying and landed on the floor, her hands smarting in pain. A hand on her back steadied her, a soothing voice comforting her. Her vision was blurring and her head was pounding, and she clenched her eyes shut against the pain. "There now, child, breathe." The old man's voice said as he slowly rubbed her back.

"What happened?" She choked out between gasps.

"You came through the Annamen, and none too gently." He finished with what sounded like an angry sigh.

"What?" She clenched her eyes shut and open again, her shaky vision clearing up. She saw a white floor in front of her face, and she slowly looked up. The room was still rocking, but she saw that the room was dominantly white. Elaborate wooden decorations covered the walls and windowsill, and she caught a glimpse of gently swaying trees outside.

Finally, she took a shaky breath and sat up. The old man helped her onto a bench and pressed a cup into her hand. "Drink." He said gently. "It will help you recover."

Samantha looked up at him and saw a kind, lined face. The man was dressed in grey robes, almost like… some kind of wizard? "Where am I?" She asked. "And who are you?" Although, he looked almost familiar…

"You are in Imladris, the House of Elrond." He said. "My name is Gandalf, but you already knew that." He smiled slightly. "And it is wonderful to see you again."

She frowned and searched her memory. "Um…" She shifted slightly. "Sorry, I don't remember you. Are you from Bruja?"

He frowned, his forehead creasing. "Are you quite sure?" He grumbled a little bit, sitting next to her. "Yes, I'm quite certain it's you. I knew you and your sister when you were young. Then again, you were only a child, so I suppose I expected too much from your memory."

Samantha stared at him for a moment, feeling a memory tug somewhere in her mind. "I know you." She muttered, biting her lip. "I swear, I know you from somewhere."

He smiled sadly, putting a hand over hers. "My dear, I was friends with your mother."

In a flash, everything came washing over her. Sitting on the cottage floor with her mother sitting with the old wizard, riding on his shoulders as her parents watched, being held by him as she went to sleep, and she heard the screaming of her mother, and creatures were tearing at her, and she heard his voice banishing them and lifting her from the ground in his brilliant light-

She gasped and reeled back, grabbing onto the bench. He sat patiently next to her as she gasped for breath, tears welling in her eyes. "You're real." She whispered. "Oh my god, you're… you're real?"

"Of course I am, Caladiel." He frowned again. "Did you think I was not?"

The door opened, and another man stepped in. He was dressed in royal-looking silver robes, and had long dark hair over his shoulders. "I see she has awakened." He said.

"She seems to only vaguely remember." Gandalf said as Samantha stared at him. Her mind was reeling as she tried to comprehend everything that had happened. No, everything that she remembered from when she was a little girl was just made up… wasn't it? "She remembers me, though, so there is a start."

The man came towards her, and as he did, she saw that his ears were pointed. What the hell?! "Caladiel, are you well?" He asked her.

"My name's Samantha." She replied dumbly, looking between them. "What's going on?"

The man sighed. "I feared as much." He said before looking to her again. "What do you remember?"

She stood up and backed away from them, her mind going a thousand miles an hour. "No. No, no, no." She stammered. "Where am I? Why am I here? What happened?" Her back hit the wall as the two men looked at her with concern.

"Calm down, Caladiel, we do not mean to hurt you." The old man said. Just looking at him made her mind hurt and memories flash before her eyes.

"My name is Samantha!" She yelled, clenching her hands into fists. "Who are you people?!"

The door was thrown open again, and two more men came bursting in with weapons drawn. They were twins, definitely the man's sons, and as soon as Samantha looked at them, she felt another wave of memories wash over here. When the rush was done, she saw them drop their weapons and rush towards her, sweeping her up in a hug.

"Caladiel! Thank Elbereth you've awakened!" One of them cried.

"We thought we might lose you!" The other one added, and they both crushed her before setting her down and beaming at her. She stared at them blankly; she knew them, deep down, she knew them…

Then everything clicked into place, and her eyes widened in shock.

"Elladan?" She whispered, looking at the two men. "Elrohir?"

They both nodded with broad smiles. "Yes, do you remember us?" The first one asked eagerly.

"I…" She blinked, then felt the warm wave of nostalgia rush over her. She remembered them sneaking her treats from the kitchen, riding on horseback with her, treating her like a little sister. She remembered Gandalf, Mithrandir, her mother's friend who visited her and her family, she remembered her mother's warm face, she remembered their little cottage on the slopes of a hill, she remembered everything, and she knew it was real. "Dan! Ro!" She threw her arms around them and squeezed them tightly to her, feeling tears come to her eyes. "You're real. You're real. Oh my god, you're real, you're all real!"

She couldn't help the sobs that wracked her body, and she felt hands rubbing her back soothingly and sitting her down on the bench. "You've had quite an adventure, little one." One of the twins - Elladan, she knew now - said. "Gandalf tried to bring you back, and we found you outside of Rivendell surrounded by Orcs."

"Orcs?" She frowned, then nodded as she remembered. "Wait, Orcs?! What were they doing here?" She looked over all of them. "What am I doing here? What happened? How did I get here? I was taking the trash out at home, and then… I woke up here."

"I pulled you through the Annamen." Gandalf said. "Though it was quite a fight."

"What's the Annamen?" She asked. The men all recoiled in shock, and she looked between them. "What? What did I say?"

"You do not remember?" Elrohir asked.

"No…?" She rubbed her forehead. "There's a lot I don't remember, I guess. It's been so long."

Gandalf pulled out his pipe and lit it as the twins exchanged unreadable glances. "The Annamen is what brought you here, and also what took you to Earth." Gandalf explained as a cloud of smoke rose around him. "Some say that it was a gift from the Valar. Others still say that it was an accident left over from the beginning of Creation. Believe what you will, for who can truly know?"

"It is a path between worlds." Elrond continued hurriedly. "There are many worlds, but this is a gateway to the closest one to ours, Earth. It holds the ability to step out of time and appear wherever you wish in the opposite world. It was what your mother guarded; you and your sister were to inherit it. When your mother passed, Gandalf took up stewardship of it, but you are its true wielder."

She blinked and stared at him for a long moment. "Wait a second. A path between worlds? Why doesn't everyone know about this? Why doesn't everyone _use_ it?"

"What do you think your mother guarded it for? No one knows why it exists, or what its purpose is, but it has been well-guarded through its history. As far as most are concerned, it is a legend."

Samantha sighed and squeezed the bridge of her nose. "This is a lot to take in." She laughed nervously. "I feel like I'm dreaming…It's been what, twenty years?"

"Try seventy-seven." Elrohir said dryly.

"_What?!_" She jumped to her feet, though she immediately regretted it as dizziness took over her. Someone guided her over to her bed and she cradled her head in her hands. "I think I need some time to process this."

"Of course, we should give you time to rest." Elrond nodded. "Come, let us leave her."

Elladan and Elrohir gave her quick hugs and smiles before they left, followed by their father. Gandalf stood and smiled at her. "You are the spitting image of your mother." He mused. "Before I leave, tell me, do you know where your sister is?"

Samantha's smile dropped. "She was killed years ago." She said.

Gandalf's face fell. "How many?"

"It was four years ago, where I was."

He nodded, then squeezed her hand again. "Take care, my dear." He said, then left the room and closed the door behind him.

* * *

><p><strong>Please leave reviews!<strong>

**Elvish dictionary:  
><strong>Nana - mommy  
>Gi melin - I love you (familiar)<p> 


	2. Chapter 2

_They were speaking the Common tongue, shining bright lights and forcing her into the horseless carriages that roared like thunder. The people had found her and picked her up, jabbering in the language she didn't understand. They tried to take her sister from her, but she bit them and pushed them away, and eventually they left her alone. She was afraid. Where was Nana? Where was Ada?_

_"Where am I?" She asked the people, but they didn't respond. "Is Nana okay? Where's Gandalf?"_

_The carriage stopped in front of a building with windows for doors and the brightest lanterns she had ever seen. A man came and spoke to her slowly, not that it made it easier to understand him. She stared at him until he sighed. "What is your name?" He asked._

_"Caladiel." She answered. She tried to remember how to ask who people were in Common… ugh!_

_He pointed to the baby. "What is her name?" She shrugged. Her sister was only a couple of days old, how could they possibly have named her yet? He messed with something, then shook his head to the other people._

_Then a man reached over and took her sister from her arms._

_"No!" She screamed, grabbing at the baby. "Give her back! Give her back, or my Ada will get you!" The people talked some more and picked her up too, taking her inside even as she kicked and fought. but she was no match for them. "Ada!" She screamed fearfully._

* * *

><p>"Caladiel?"<p>

She woke up out of her sleep almost immediately. She blinked her eyes and looked up to see a woman standing beside her bed with a hopeful expression on her face. She looked different than when they'd last met, but…

"Arwen!" Samantha gasped, sitting up quickly in bed. The woman's smile broadened as they hugged tightly, hardly believing that they were holding each other in their arms. After a long minute, Samantha pulled away to look at the woman. "Look at you! God, you're gorgeous!"

"So are you, _mellon nîn._" Arwen laughed. "I heard you had returned and I thought it too good to be true." She threw her arms around her again. "I have never been so overjoyed as when I saw it was you."

Samantha was smiling so hard it hurt. She remembered the third child of Elrond as her special playmate, her and the quiet human charge that was never far behind her. "I can't believe I'm back." She pulled away and clasped Arwen's hands in hers. "I'm still in shock, honestly."

"You speak so strangely." She frowned slightly.

"Well, I mean, I was raised in a different place." Samantha flushed slightly. "I hardly remember how to speak Elvish. I'm just… different."

"I… imagine you have changed quite a bit from when you were just a girl." Arwen's voice was tinged with sadness. "And I know that Adan is vastly different from Arda. We likely have nothing to speak of."

The women sat in silence for a moment. "Will you show me around Rivendell?" Samantha asked quietly. "Help me remember?"

"I would love to." Arwen smiled.

* * *

><p>Behind every corner, there was another memory waiting for Samantha. The dell was grander than she remembered, but it also seemed quieter, emptier. The tall trees were older and prouder, and there were so few people now that it shocked her. But it was still like her second home; with every step, she remembered more and more.<p>

"And do you remember the cook whose treats you and Estel were always stealing?" Arwen asked as they walked together, arm in arm.

"Her name was Lalaith, right?" Samantha asked, and Arwen nodded. "She would chase after us all the way through Rivendell, and we would always give her the slip." They laughed. "How is my old partner in crime, anyway?"

"He has become a Ranger of the North." Arwen answered, pursing her lips to hide her smile. Samantha's eyebrows raised in amusement. "And he has become very dear to me. He goes by Strider these days."

"I'd like to see him." Samantha smiled faintly, remembering the gangly youth that Elrond had fostered. "The last time I saw him, he was ten years old and followed you around like a lost puppy."

"Not much has changed." They turned a corner and crossed a bridge in front of a waterfall, finding a bench and sitting down. "Though he has grown to be a good man. I am proud to know him."

"You flatter me, my lady." The women looked up as a man approached them. Samantha could barely recognize him, but he placed a hand over his heart and bowed his head to them both. "Lady Caladiel, Lady Arwen. Forgive my intrusion."

Samantha stood and smiled broadly. "What, I don't get a hug?" She raised her eyebrows, and Strider smiled before they quickly embraced. "Oh my god, you've grown so much!"

"I might say the same to you." He stopped to look over her, and she took the chance to do the same. He was taller than her now, and looked sorely out-of-place in the fine Elvish clothes he was dressed in. He looked like he spent most of his time outside or in the wilds. "The last time I saw you, you were only an Elfing. How could you have grown so much in such a short time?" He frowned slightly.

"What?" Samantha frowned too. "I just… age? And I'm not an Elf…"

He glanced back at Arwen. "Caladiel, your mother was an Elf, which makes you a Half-Elf." He said. "You age as Elves do for most of your life."

She laughed disbelievingly. "I think I would know if I was an Elf, Este - I mean, Strider." She said.

"If you do not believe me, check your ears."

She scoffed and rolled her eyes. "Yeah, right. Is this another prank-?" She froze as she followed his instructions and found her ears pointed into tips. Her friends laughed at her expression as she looked between them, her eyes wide as she stammered. "I - you - my - I'm - an Elf?"

"You have much to become accustomed to, little Caladiel." Arwen said in amusement. "But his question still stands; how could you have aged so much when so little time has passed?"

Samantha shrugged. "I guess time passes differently where I was. I was aging like a… a human there, and according to their ages, I'm twenty-six years old."

He frowned, then shook his head to dismiss it. "Time is a strange thing." He said. "In any case, I am glad to see you again. We thought…"

"It does not matter what we thought." Arwen interrupted, placing a hand on each of their shoulders. "She is here now, and here she will stay."

Samantha was nodding in agreement when all of a sudden, she felt like the breath had been punched out of her. A sudden revelation sent her reeling and her thoughts racing as she stumbled back.

Jessica.

"Caladiel? What happened?" Aragorn took her arm and sat her down as she gasped, her eyes watering. How could she have forgotten? How could she have just overlooked the most important thing in her life? "What is wrong? Are you well?"

"My little girl." She grabbed at his arm and looked up at him desperately. "I just left her there. She has no idea where I am. Oh god, she must be so scared! I have to go back to her!"

"Calm down." He knelt in front of her. "Speak slowly. What happened?"

She took a deep, wavering breath, then started to speak. "My little girl. I raised her, and I was about to start making dinner for her when I went to take out the trash. I saw something next to the house and went to see it, and next thing I know I'm here. She doesn't know where I am, she must be terrified!"

Strider and Arwen exchanged worried glances, and Arwen helped her stand. "I will take her to my father." She said. Strider nodded, and squeezed Samantha's shoulder as she was hurried away.

* * *

><p>After Samantha explained everything to Elrond, he sat in silence for some time. He and Gandalf were seated next to each other, and Arwen stood beside Samantha with a comforting hand on her elbow. "Is there any way I could go back to her?" Samantha asked desperately.<p>

Elrond sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Caladiel, you are needed here in Middle Earth." He started gently.

"I'm needed with my family!" She cut him off. "Jessie lost her mom years ago. I'm the only kind of mother that she has. I can't put her through losing that again!"

"What Master Elrond was trying to say was this," Gandalf interrupted. "There is great evil arising in Middle Earth. A war that has been a long time coming is about to begin. We need all of the help we can muster to defeat this evil, and that includes you, my dear child."

"No." She shook her head. "I don't want to be a part of any war."

"This is no mere war." Elrond looked to her with burning eyes. "This is not the petty politics of the races of Middle Earth. This is a war between the Light and the Darkness, between the West and the East, between the Enemy and the Free Peoples of Middle Earth. Whether you would have it or not, this war has swept us all up in its tide, and all of us must fight against it."

"You are a part of this world." Gandalf continued. "This is your homeland, the land of your mother and father. Would you see it fall into the hands of the one who killed your mother?"

"What?" Samantha's eyes widened as she tried to comprehend what the wizard had just said. "My… my mother?"

Gandalf sighed and wrung his hands on his staff. "Your mother did not die from mere accident." He said slowly. "She was murdered by the servants of Sauron, the dark lord. I could not save her in time."

Elrond's head snapped to look to Gandalf. "You did not tell me this."

"Indeed, it was known to a precious few. If it had become common knowledge that the Annamen had no master, who could imagine what kind of chaos would have been caused?" Gandalf sighed again. "Though I suppose now is the time for me to tell you all the tale."

Arwen wrapped her arm around Samantha and sat her down, sitting next to her as Gandalf took a long drag on his pipe. "I was released from the Necromancer's captivity - you know this, Master Elrond. But I saw his plans to take the Annamen and corrupt it for his own gain, and I flew with all haste to warn Rómenros and Finluin - your parents, Caladiel." He paused in his storytelling to acknowledge her as tears brimmed in her eyes, her fingers digging into her palms. "I found Rómenros, but by the time we came to where Finluin and her children were, the Enemy had already found them. I was able to rescue Caladiel and her sister, but Finluin had almost faded. Rómenros disappeared in a great cry and an explosion of fire, and has not been seen again." His voice became choked. "As she died, Finluin asked me to send her children through the Annamen, where they might be safe for a time. You were only a child, Caladiel, and your sister had been born only days before. Finluin was dear to me, and I respected her final wish and sent you through the Annamen with my blessing. For years, I prayed that you were safe, until I knew that Middle Earth would require your assistance again. Now that time has come, and there is no more to be told."

It was silence for a long minute as tears ran down Samantha's cheeks. "I am sorry, Caladiel." Gandalf said quietly. "Your mother was a good woman, and you father was a good man. If I had perhaps been swifter…"

"Don't." Samantha stood, shaking off Arwen's arm as her chest rose and fell with panicked breaths. Her mind was racing with a thousand thoughts and memories; her mother's kind face and thin hands, her father's warm voice and strong arms, and how violently they were ripped away. Years of suppressing the memories made them no less potent, and she started to sway on her feet. The voices of concern seemed far away, and she threw off the sympathetically comforting hands before racing out the door and into the fresh air. It stung her eyes as she ran, not sure where she was going. When her legs finally gave out, she was alone in the forest next to a bubbling creek.

"This can't be real." She whispered to herself, holding her head in her hands and rocking back and forth. Sobs wracked her body as memories continued to bubble up, each one like a slap in the face. Some were from Middle Earth, and some were from growing up with her sister. She wished that she still had Edith - her sister had been her best friend through everything that they'd gone through, from growing up in foster homes to finding their paths as adults. _She would know what to do._ Samantha thought bitterly as her hands tightened. It wasn't fair that Edith had gone so soon, before seeing where they came from.

It wasn't fair.

Samantha took a shaky breath as an idea came to her. If she was the wielder of the Annamen, then shouldn't she be able to control it? She cleared her throat and wiped her face off, holding her hands out in front of her. If she focused hard enough, she could feel a current of energy running through her, almost like the stream next to her. She closed her eyes, and the energy flowed through her arms and out of her fingertips. It looked like quicksilver was coming from her fingers and forming a silver mirror in the air. She laughed in disbelief as it finally took it full shape as a smooth, shimmering mirror. It held itself up even without her hands helping it. She looked around it, then waved her hand in front of it. It rippled, then cleared to show a familiar image; the front of her house in Bruja.

Samantha glanced over her shoulder uncertainly. She finally had the answers that she had spent most of her life wanting, but the cost was too high. She had a life, a family, and she couldn't just abandon them at the drop of a hat. She squared her shoulders as certainty settled in her chest. She loved Middle Earth, but she refused to leave her home in Bruja. The answers about where she came from would have to wait. She reached forward her hand, waiting for the rushing feeling she'd felt when she came there…

Instead, her hand flattened against the mirror, refusing to go any further.

"What?" She whispered. _I must be doing it wrong._ "I, uh… I command you to take me home!" The mirror rippled, but there was no answer otherwise. She grasped the edges with both hands and stared at it desperately. "Home. In Bruja. Let me through, I want to go home!" She tried desperately for god-knows-how-long, but it was no use; the Annamen stubbornly refused to let her through. She finally collapsed and stared at it resentfully, so focused on it that she didn't hear the footsteps approaching.

"It is trying to tell you something." She spun around to see Strider standing behind her with his hands clasped in front of him. He had came up almost silently.

"How do you know?" She asked, not bothering to ask how he'd found her or why he had followed her.

"The Annamen has a mind of its own." He crouched on the ground next to her. "It chooses who it allows to pass through. If it will not let you pass, then perhaps it is trying to tell you that you are needed here."

She groaned and held her head in her hands. "I don't want to be a part of any war." She said. "I have a little girl I need to take care of. I'm the only real family she has; her father is always at work or across the country for business."

"You have a child?" He frowned. "You mentioned her before. Are you married?"

"She's not mine. She's my sister's. But Edith died four years ago, when her daughter Jessica was only six. I moved in with her and her father and practically raised her by myself so Justin wouldn't have to." She felt tears stinging at her eyes again and angrily wiped them away. "If I can't go back to her or at least tell her where I am… I can't imagine…"

"You will see her again." He reassured her. "The Valar are not cruel. If you are meant to be here, then you should stay here, but I understand that you must care for her. This war will not be a long one, I do not think - we have found a great weapon that will bring an end to the Enemy."

She looked at him reproachfully. "Really? Then why isn't everyone going to war yet, if you've found something so big?"

"Politics." He rolled his eyes and half-smiled. "Lord Elrond is calling a council of the lords of Middle Earth to decide the weapon's fate. I have no doubt that you will be present, and I will be as well."

"God, I hate politics." She forced a laugh. "Do we have to?"

"Unfortunately." He stood and offered her a hand to pull her up. "Do not leave that opening there. Who knows who or what may find it?"

She looked to the mirror, and with a thought, it vanished, the quicksilver flowing back into her fingertips. She lifted them to look at them incredulously, which earned a laugh from Strider. "Come now." He offered her his arm, which she took. "Lady Arwen must be worried sick."

"Isn't she always, though?" They laughed together.

* * *

><p><strong>Elvish dictionary:<br>**mellon nîn - my friend (familiar)**  
><strong>


	3. Chapter 3

**This is the chapter we get to the Council, which will be changed heavily. I hope to tell a story that isn't just a retelling of Tolkien's works, so please let me know how I'm doing. I'm also adding some backstory and relationship building so yeah**

* * *

><p><em>"Ah, my girl!" Caladiel squealed with delight as her father swept her up in his arms, the sunlight beating down on them as they played in the rolling hills of their home. The tall golden grass was almost taller than her, and she had the time of her life racing through it like she was exploring a dense forest like the heroes of old. But in her father's arms, the grass barely tickled her feet, and she could see far over the plains of Rohan. She leaned her head on his shoulder and wrapped her arms around his neck; she never felt safer than when he held her.<em>

_"You must mind your mother while I am gone." He instructed her as they walked back towards their modest house. "Your brother will be born any day now, but I have business with Fengel King and must leave for a time."_

_Caladiel felt her chest puff with pride that her ada was friends with the king, but she also felt a pang of sadness that he would be gone. "Nana says that the baby will be a girl." She said instead._

_He laughed deep in his chest, pressing a kiss to her tumbling red-gold curls. "Perhaps. We will find out soon, won't we?"_

_They walked inside to where Caladiel's mother was stirring a pot of stew over her heavily pregnant belly. She smiled as her daughter and husband came inside, and he set the little girl down so she could run to her mother's side. "Ada said the baby will be a boy!" She immediately cried._

_"Did he now?" Her nana petted her hair, and Caladiel leaned her head against her side, staring up at her adoringly. Nana was tall and thin, with long golden hair to her waist; she seemed the opposite of Ada, who was strong and muscular with a broad chest and broader shoulders, and hair that was red like a fire. "Well, did you tell him that a mother knows best?"_

_Ada threw up his hands. "Usurped in my own home!" He laughed as Caladiel stuck her tongue at him playfully, then picked up his belt and strapped it on. "I will be back soon, my darling girls."_

_"Send the king my regards." Nana leaned over to kiss him, ignoring the face that Caladiel made. "I do hate that you spend so much time with that greedy war-mongerer. You should be home, with your family."_

_"Politics, my love." He sighed, grabbing his sword and sheathing it. It was longer than Caladiel's entire height, she thought, even if she stood on her toes. "He gives us leave to dwell in his realm, and has promised a place in his court for Caladiel when she is old enough. She'll have tutors, friends her age, everything she could want."_

_Nana glanced down to where Caladiel was watching them. "We will discuss that later." She turned back to her stew, but she was colder than before. Caladiel looked between them. Her parents never argued in front of her, but she knew that something was wrong._

_"I am sorry, you know." He said softly._

_"Go quickly, and be back soon." Nana instructed, and he sighed before crouching in front of Caladiel._

_"Take care of Nana until I get back." He said solemnly. "I will return before you know it."_

_"Promise?"_

_"I promise." He winked before he stood and wrapped his cloak around his shoulders. He looked like a warrior from the legends he would tell her before she went to bed at night, a hero of the people. She knew that he was very important, but she didn't know why. As he mounted his horse and waved goodbye, she wondered why people bowed to him as he passed, why they lavished gifts on them like they were royalty, why he kept the company of kings and lords. To her, he was her ada, nothing more._

* * *

><p>Samantha spent most of her time wandering through Rivendell, marvelling at the elegance of it all. She was given space, even though she knew that her friends were eager to catch up with her. In fact, she spent most of her time with Strider, who was the quiet companion that she needed. (As much as he loved the twins, she needed time to think and remember) Sometimes they talked about their homes, or where they'd been in their lives; Samantha had travelled extensively before she settled down with Jessica.<p>

"New Zealand is beautiful." She was explaining as they walked aimlessly around the outskirts of the settlement. "There are rolling green hills and tall, proud mountains. It felt like being on another world while I was there…" She paused. "I think it reminded me of Middle Earth. I always felt more at home there."

"Did you ever live there?" Strider asked.

"No, I stayed in New Mexico with the rest of my family." She smiled sadly. "I always wanted to, though. It was home, even though I spent just a few months there. It just… it felt right. Have you ever felt like that about a place?"

He half-smiled, clasping his hands behind his back. "When I was born, I lived with my father and mother in their home." He said. "It was green there, deep in the forest, but there was a river that ran through it of clear water. Athelas always grew by the shores, and it was my job to pick as much as I could carry and bring it back to the healers. It felt more like home than anywhere I have been before. I always wanted to go back there, perhaps live there for a time to enjoy what peace I could, but after my mother and I left, she would not speak of it, and I have yet to find it."

"I hope you find it one day." She paused. "I don't know much about how you grew up, just that your father died and your mother brought you to Rivendell."

"There you and I run into the same problem." He sighed. "I know of my heritage, and that my father was a good man, but nothing of how he died, or how he met my mother. I only have a few memories of him… one in particular, in fact." They stopped to look over the river that tumbled over the rocks, leading out of Rivendell. "I was only a year or two old, but I remember one day chasing some silver fish through the rocks of the river. I got too excited and leaned too far over, and I fell into the water." He smiled as she tried unsuccessfully to hide her laughter. "My father came and pulled me out, and called me Kingfisher. My mother would call me that when I grew older to tease me. She hated the name Estel; she always said that it was too much to put on a child, to name him 'hope'."

"She was right." Samantha crossed her arms thoughtfully as they walked, sneaking a glance at him from the side of her eye. She knew that Strider was someone important, but knowing him, he would be happier to wander the wilderness for the rest of his life. Still, he was tall and noble-looking, as scruffy as he was on the outside. "I remember your mother, I think. She was blonde, right?"

He nodded. "You have a good memory, you only met her once." He said. "Her name was Gilraen. She and Lord Elrond were dear friends. His wife sailed for the Undying Lands after being captured by Orcs, and he and my mother comforted each other in their grief. Even when she left to live with her kin, they wrote each other often."

She chewed on her lip as she thought over the information. "Do you know anything about _my_ family?" She asked. "Like my parents. Did you ever meet them?"

"Oh, of course." He chuckled. "Everyone knew them; they would come to visit Lord Elrond and would set you loose with Elladan and Elrohir, and no one would see the three of you for hours at a time."

"Can you tell me about them?"

He hesitated. "I am not sure that I am the one to tell you about them." He said slowly, obviously dancing around the point. "I only knew them through you, and I was but a child anyway. Gandalf or Lord Elrond would be the ones to ask."

She rolled her eyes, but relented. They were silent as they walked back up the steps and towards one of the buildings. There were a few people sitting around outside, smoking from long pipes and chattering happily. One of them looked up and gave an exclamation of surprise, standing upright. Samantha blinked when she saw that he was only about as tall as a child. "Well, look who it is!" He cried, and his friends looked up and stood to greet them. Strider smiled as the tiny people all rushed forward. "It's good that we call you Longshanks; you've been walking around all day!" The little man pointed to Strider with his pipe before taking an empathetic puff on it.

"We have had much to discuss." He stepped aside to introduce her. "This is Caladiel, an old friend of mine. Caladiel, may I present to you Masters Samwise Gamgee, Meriadoc Brandybuck, Peregrin Took, and Frodo Baggins, Hobbits of the Shire." The Hobbits all bowed respectively.

"With all due respect, ma'am, this friend of yours saved our lives." One of them - Peregrin - spoke up. "We'd be dead if not for him, so don't let him make you think he didn't have a hand in us getting here."

"They exaggerate." Strider cut them off.

"Oh no we don't!" Another one - Meriadoc? - said. "We're Hobbits, we don't exaggerate!"

"It looks like you have some fans." Samantha grinned before turning her attention to the Hobbits. "Hi, you can call me Samantha." She didn't see the sad look that Aragorn cast at her.

"You can call me Merry." He adjusted his waistcoat, straightening his shoulders with his thumbs in his pockets and a smile on his face. "And that's Pippin, or Pip. He's my cousin. I'm the smarter one, don't let him fool you."

"Hey!" Pippin yelped.

"And that's Sam over there, and Frodo." The other two Hobbits were off to the side. Sam waved politely when his name was mentioned, but Frodo only smiled slightly and bowed his head. A chill ran down Samantha's spine when she looked at him, and she remembered the weapon that Strider had mentioned. Maybe Frodo had it?

"Well, I'm sure you have quite a story to tell." She gathered her skirt and sat down on one of the benches, looking up at Strider. "You're probably tired of me talking for hours. I'll let you go, this time." She winked, and he chuckled.

"Have you really been talking the entire time?" Pippin asked her.

She nodded. "It's been a long time since we've seen each other. We had a lot of catching up to do."

"Be careful, Master Hobbit, her appetite for stories is insatiable." Strider warned, which had the cousins' eyes lighting up as they stumbled over each other to tell their story first. While Samantha was caught up with the Hobbits, he slipped away, mulling over all they'd talked about in his head.

* * *

><p>"Lady Caladiel?"<p>

Samantha turned to see one of the serving girls in the doorway of her room. The girl bowed quickly. "Lord Elrond requests your presence for the Council."

Samantha groaned and dropped the scroll that she'd been reading before she stood, running a hand through her hair. She'd stayed up the entire night trying to find any information she could about her family. Questioning Gandalf and Elrond had led her nowhere, and everyone else was tight-lipped about everything except for the fact that her parents were good people. Her night of searching had led her nowhere, but she had become familiar with the races of Middle Earth and was starting to remember some Elvish. It hadn't been what she was expecting, but progress was progress.

"Is there any way I could talk my way out of this?" She asked half-heartedly. "I'm so tired…"

"I have been ordered not to leave your side until you come to the Council." The girl said stubbornly.

Samantha sighed, then checked herself in the mirror to make sure she didn't look too bad. Since coming to Middle Earth, her already thin face had become more angled, her hair had straightened out considerably, and she could forget about even _trying_ to hide her ears. They poked out from her hair like sore thumbs. Considering the all-nighter she'd pulled, she didn't look too bad, and she straightened out. "Okay, I'm ready." She said, following the girl through the winding corridors of Elrond's halls.

They emerged on a small plaza where there was a ring of chairs, most of them occupied. There was a large chair, obviously the head of the circle, that Elrond sat in, flanked on either side by one of his sons. Elladan turned around and grinned as he saw Samantha approach. "I knew you could not hide forever." He said

"Stuff it." She flicked his ear, earning an annoyed yelp. The serving girl showed her to a seat by Gandalf's side before she disappeared. Samantha looked around the group and noticed she was the only woman there, which earned her a few reproachful looks. She recognized Strider, and Frodo, and a few Elves she'd seen around, but the rest were strange to her. There were humans, Elves, Dwarves (she could only guess) and Hobbits gathered, all sitting together with their race, except for Strider, who sat with the Elves. Gandalf smiled at her and gestured for her to sit.

"Do I have to, Gandalf?" She whispered as she sat next to him.

"Of course." He grumbled. "Only the most important people of Middle Earth have come, and you, my dear, are one of those people."

"Why?"

"You know why. Do not play ignorant with me." He raised his eyebrows. "I know you tested the Annamen yourself, which only proves your importance."

"Okay, so I can use this thing that I still don't fully understand. How does that make me important-?"

Elrond stood, and the chattering fell silent. "Welcome, Lords of Middle Earth." He said. "We are gathered for one cause here today; to destroy the threat that is rising in the East. In the midst of this, two discoveries have been made. One, a power that may be of great importance, and the other, a great evil that has long been lost. What is decided here today will decide the fate of Middle Earth as we know it." He looked to where Frodo sat next to Gandalf. "Frodo, the Ring." Frodo slowly stood, walked to the podium in the middle of the circle, then tentatively set down a golden ring.

It was like a shadow was cast over them all. Samantha gripped her chair as the men murmured among themselves. She heard them speaking urgently, but all sound seemed to fade out as she stared at the ring. It scared her, and made her uncomfortable… but she couldn't look away. It was like it was whispering to her, telling her about her mother, her family, and she could have them all back. Her heart pounded in her ears, and she didn't even realize the trance that she'd fallen into until Gandalf shook her arm and broke her out of it.

When she looked up, she realized that one of the human men had stood up and was speaking. "Give Gondor the Ring!" He was saying passionately. He looked powerful and noble, moving his hands with his words. "We may use it to defend against Sauron! Imagine; with the Bane of Isildur and the Blade that was Broken, we might stand in the defense of Middle Earth - a stand against the greatest evil of this age!"

"None may use the Ring." Elladan spoke up from Elrond's side. "The power would destroy you. The power is for Sauron and Sauron alone, and anyone else would fall to it. Bilbo only bore it for so long because he is a Hobbit, and there are still many secrets that are not known to us about them."

"And the Blade that was Broken cannot be wielded." Another man spoke up. Samantha recognized him as Strider. "Its light has faded from this world. Only Isildur's heir may reforge it and wield it."

"What would a Ranger know of this?" The first man sneered.

"Watch yourself!" A blond Elf snapped, standing to Strider's defense. "He is no mere Ranger. He is Aragorn, son of Arathorn, heir of Isildur and Isildur's throne. You owe him your allegiance, Boromir son of Denethor."

Samantha blinked in surprise as Strider - Aragorn? - raised a hand in exasperation. "Sit down, Legolas." He said, and the Elf sat down with a glare. The first man, Boromir, looked floored, and Samantha barely stifled a giggle. All eyes snapped to her immediately.

"Who are you to laugh?" Boromir demanded hotly. "I know you not. Is the fate of my country a game to you?"

She felt herself flushing. "No, I-."

"Calm yourself, Boromir." The man next to him said firmly. "You are too impassioned. Sit and clear your head." Boromir grudgingly did as he was told, and the new man looked to Samantha. "But he drives a point. Who are you, and what is your place in this council?"

Samantha wet her lips. "I'm-" She cleared her throat. "My name is Samantha. Gandalf brought me here."

There was a collective groan, and everyone looked to the bemused wizard. "Well, Gandalf?" The man asked. "What of your companion?"

Gandalf shifted and grumbled a bit before he spoke. "Many of you do not remember," He said. "But many of you do. You most of all, Éomer, for she dwelled in your realm in her early years. She is not what you would think she is; she is Caladiel, daughter of Finluin of Lothlórien and Rómenros the Maia. She is the wielder of the Annamen, and I have brought her back into Arda from where she was hidden to aid us in these times." Samantha looked at Gandalf in surprise as he spoke. This was the first time she'd heard her parents' titles and where they came from. _Rómenros the Maia…_ the title was familiar. What was a Maia, anyway?

There was a wave of laughter through the Council, and Samantha glanced around nervously. "The Annamen is a myth." The man - Éomer - said. "And Rómenros has not been seen for years. How do we know who she is?"

"Because it's true!" Samantha spoke up. She didn't expect everyone to look at her again, expecting an explanation. She stood up and wet her lips, looking around her at the unreadable glances. "Look, I only just got here. I've been living in another world for my entire life. It's a world without Elves or Dwarves or any kind of magic, and I don't remember much about Middle Earth. But I remember some things; I remember Gandalf, I remember my my mother, Elladan, Elrohir… I might not talk like you, but this is still where I'm from."

Another Elf stood to face her. He was older, with silver hair and dark eyes. "Finluin was my kin." He said in a quiet voice, his eyes boring holes into her. "And the Annamen is no myth, because she guarded it." He looked around him and spoke in a booming, commanding voice. "I am Falahim, and Finluin was my sister. For those who do not know, Finluin was appointed the guardian of the Annamen, and cared for it her entire life, from when she was old enough to understand what she carried. She was slain horribly by servants of the Necromancer, who was Sauron all along, before the Battle of the Five Armies. Her lover, Rómenros, and her two daughters disappeared, and were never found. It has been years since her eldest disappeared, and here stands a grown woman claiming to be that lost child. How can we know who she is? How can we be sure?"

Elladan and Elrohir stood up. "She is Caladiel." Elrohir said firmly. "We would know her as well as we would know our sister."

"We would know her deaf and blind." Elladan agreed. "And we will stake our honor on it."

"Now, now. That will hardly be necessary." Gandalf stood between them, grasping his staff in his hand. The twins reluctantly sat down, until Gandalf and the Elf were facing each other. "Falahim, I did not expect this from you. Long have you searched for your sister's children, and now that one of them stands before you, you doubt her? Look upon her and tell me you do not see your sister."

Falahim was about to answer when Elrond cleared his throat. "Caladiel's heritage is a matter of debate for later." He said. "What is important is that she is here, and she wields the power of the Annamen. That is the first matter which we will discuss. The second, and most pressing, is the one of the Ring. Bilbo, recount your tale."

The two men sat down, and an elderly Hobbit stood up with his hands in his pockets. "I did not expect so willing of an audience." He joked lamely. "Well now, where to start? My name is Bilbo Baggins, and I am a Hobbit of the Shire. I was quite happy there until one day seventy or eighty years ago, when a wizard turned up at my door. Not just any wizard, mind you, but none other than Gandalf…"

The Council listened as the Hobbit told the story of how he'd found himself in the possession of the Ring, and when he was finished, Elladan - who had studied it extensively - gave a brief history of the Ring. By the time they were finished, Samantha's leg was shaking with anxiety as she stared at the small golden ring on the podium, wondering how something so small could hold so much evil. She wasn't an idiot; she knew that her being brought back at the same time the Ring was brought forward wasn't just a coincidence.

"You see now, we must destroy the Ring." Elrond spoke from his seat. All eyes were fixed on the Ring, when suddenly a Dwarf grunted.

"Well, what are we waiting for?" He said before standing, hefting his axe. With a yell, he heaved it down on the Ring, ignoring the cries of those gathered around him. As soon as the axe touched the Ring, though, the axe shattered and sent its master flying backwards. Frodo gave a sharp gasp, grabbing at his left shoulder as the other Dwarves helped their disgruntled comrade up.

"The Ring cannot be destroyed, Gimli son Glóin, by anything we possess." Elrond said bemusedly, barely hiding a smirk. The Dwarves muttered and cursed, but helped Gimli back into his seat. "There is only one way it may be destroyed; it must be cast into the fires of Mount Doom, where it was made ages ago. Our task is to venture into Mordor and destroy the Ring before it falls into Sauron's grasp."

Boromir laughed incredulously. "That is a fool's errand." He said. "You expect to simply walk into Mordor? Perhaps knock on the door and invite the Dark Lord for tea and biscuits?" Several people murmured in agreement.

"Wait." Legolas spoke up, looking to Samantha. "If Lady Caladiel possesses the power of the Annamen, could she not open a way between Rivendell and Mordor so that we may slip through unnoticed? It would save us many months of journeying, and my heart tells me it would prevent the strife and woe it would cause."

"Try it." Elrond nodded to her, and Samantha once again found herself in the spotlight. She cleared her throat awkwardly and closed her eyes, trying to find the stream of power again. It seemed to bubble up reluctantly and began obeying her requests. It was like coaching some kind of animal through, she thought. Almost like it had its own thoughts and feelings, except… well, in her head.

Finally, the mirror hung in the air again, slightly bigger than last time. "That's as big as I can make it." She sighed, feeling fatigue gnaw at the edges of her mind.

Elrond had leaned forward to observe the ritual, and nodded his approval. "Good, good. Now, you have read of Mordor, yes?" Samantha nodded. She remembered seeing it on the maps. "Imagine it, and when you are ready, clear the image."

She took a moment to collect everything she knew about Mordor - which, admittedly, wasn't much - and tried to form an image in her head of it. The Annamen shied away from the image, like it knew where it would be going. _Come on, I need you to cooperate. We're trying to save the world here!_ The energy steadfastly refused to even touch the image, or anything associated with it. _Okay, can we at least get close? Maybe the city right next to it?_ Once again, it refused. After another minute, she sighed in frustration. "I can't get it to cooperate with me." She said lamely, and most of the men slumped in disappointment.

"How close can you get?" Elrond asked, pressing forward.

"It won't _let_ me." She clarified. "If I want to take the Ring through, then it just shuts me out. It wants the Ring to go the long way, I guess. I don't understand it, but it won't work with me even if I try to force it."

"What about hiding it in your world?" Éomer asked anxiously.

"It would only be a matter of time until Sauron found it." Elladan said. "And then he would have the ability to conquer not only one, but two worlds. Could you imagine the destruction that could cause?"

The man threw up his hands in exasperation. "So you suggest a trek across Middle Earth into the fires of Mordor? _On foot?_"

"The Eagles could help." Bilbo offered, looking up to Gandalf. "Couldn't they, Gandalf?"

"The Lord of the Eagles is a Maia." The wizard said. "If he asked me what our purpose was, I would have no choice but to answer him. And they care little for the rise and fall of Elves and Men; what would stop them from taking the Ring by force and using it for their own gain?"

Elrond was silent for a moment. "Then it is decided. Someone must take the Ring to Mordor themselves."

"Who could carry such a burden for such a distance?" An Elf asked doubtfully. "Surely they would succumb to it by the time they reached Mordor."

"Not all hearts are so easily vanquished." Gandalf pointed out. "Take our Bilbo here, for example. Nigh on seventy eight years with the Ring, and only the slightest effects are apparent on him."

"Then can Bilbo himself take the Ring to Mordor?" Éomer asked.

"Goodness gracious, no." Bilbo laughed. "I am too old, my boy, far too old. I'm afraid I would not survive such a journey."

"The Elves are not so weak as to yield to the power of the Ring." Another Elf spoke. "One of the Firstborn may successfully carry it-."

"Bah!" One of the Dwarves' lip curled in scorn. "And you call Men power-hungry! Hear me well; I will be dead, and all of those in my house with me, before I see the Ring in the hands of an Elf!" He spat at the Elf's feet, and that was the last straw. The Council immediately erupted into yelling, some men yelling that he had more right to the Ring than anyone else, some who were questioning Elrond's sanity, and some who were trying to quiet everyone else down. The Elves and the Dwarves were close to blows, even though the Elves outnumbered the Dwarves. Even the Elrohir had stood and was engaged in a shouting match with Boromir, with Éomer between them trying to calm them.

Samantha jumped to her feet and got in between them. "Hey, _hey!_ You two, cut it out! Stop!"

"He would have us deliver the Ring into Sauron's very hands!" Elrohir was bellowing, his eyes wide and every muscle tense in his anger. Elladan was trying his best to restrain his brother, and was barely doing so.

"I ask only for the strength to defend my people!" The man was equally enraged, struggling against the man holding him back.

"Both of you need to calm down!" She put her hands on Elrohir's chest to hold him back. She dimly registered that Aragorn was doing the same thing for Legolas and Gimli. Elrond sat with the bridge of his nose pinched and his eyes closed. "Fighting isn't doing any good, you just need to _sit down_ and _listen to me, damn it-!_"

They were cut off by the both horrible sound Samantha had ever heard. Her hands flew to her ears, but not even they could protect her from the words that felt like nails scratching down a chalkboard. No, not that - nothing could describe the horrible words that Gandalf spoke as he advanced through the crowd to the center. A physical shadow had fallen over the dale, and the ground itself was trembling. Then it was over, the shadow passed, and everyone had returned to their seats, eyes wide and faces pale.

"The Black Speech has never before been spoken in Imladris." Elrond said in a low, dangerous voice. "Mithrandir-."

"Would you have that horror cross over all of your lands?" Gandalf said forcefully instead of answering, sweeping around to look at everyone. "Would you have that fear you felt grip the very hearts of those you hold dear? Would you have your realms all fall and all of you enslaved until no hope remains? Fools and rascals! Can you not see what is before you? The Ring _must_ be destroyed."

"On that we agree." Legolas said shakily. "But who could carry it?"

A quiet murmur rippled through the Council that no one seemed to have an answer to. That is, until Frodo suddenly took a deep breath and stood. "I will take it."

"Frodo!" Bilbo cried.

"I will take the Ring to Mordor." The Hobbit continued, looking around. "I brought it into Rivendell, it's only right that I take it out. I will do this…" He faltered. "Though I do not know the way."

Aragorn stood up and went to kneel in front of Frodo. "I have seen you this far, Frodo Baggins, and I will see you through to the end." He said sincerely. "You have my sword."

"You have my assistance as well." Legolas spoke up, standing and bowing his head to the Hobbit.

"And mine!" Gimli stepped forward.

Boromir stepped forward and pledged himself to Frodo, and as Gandalf stood up, Samantha suddenly felt a rush of adrenaline and understanding wash over her. She had something that no one else in this world did. What use would it be if she didn't use it to help? What would she do with it if she stayed in Rivendell besides drive herself crazy at not being able to go home?

_We need all the help me can muster to defeat this evil, and that includes you, my dear child._

There wasn't any doubt in her mind about what she needed to do.

She stood up, earning some surprised looks. "I'll go with you." She said firmly. Aragorn smiled at her, and Gandalf patted her shoulder. "I might not offer much, but it's yours, for what that's worth." Frodo gave her a shaky smile that she returned.

"Wait a minute!" The bush next to them rustled, and out stumbled… Samwise? "Mr. Frodo's not goin' anywhere without me!" He crossed his arms defiantly to Elrond, edging closer to Frodo, who was trying his best to hide his amused smile.

"I could have you in chains for eavesdropping on this Council." Elrond warned.

"But you won't." Elladan muttered, earning a sharp look from his father and brother.

"Hey!" Elrond whipped around as two more Hobbits came rushing up the stairs and into the circle, almost crashing into Sam and Frodo. "You'll have to tie us up and send us home in sacks to keep us here!" Pippin cried, squaring his shoulders and raising his chin in what looked like an attempt to make himself taller.

"Don't give them ideas, Pip!" Merry hissed.

"I was under the impression that this was a _private_ Council." Elrond's eyebrows had arched near his hairline, and he made no effort to hide his irritation at the unexpected guests. "Very well. Would anyone else care to join?"

"I would, my Lord."

The group turned as Falahim stood up, smoothly walking over to join them. "I… very well." Elrond stood and looked them all over. "So be it. You shall be the Fellowship of the Ring!"

* * *

><p><strong>Please leave reviews!<strong>


End file.
